IND vs ENG | In my head I was clear that I will grab my next opportunity, expresses Shikhar Dhawan

03/23/2021

Shikhar Dhawan, who missed out on an 18th ODI hundred, has stated that he was clear in his head to grab the opportunity with both hands whenever he would get a game for India. He has further added that he went too hard on the wicket ball but he is not sad, for team India won the encounter.

Shikhar Dhawan's last six ODI innings read 98, 16, 30, 74, 96, 74, dating back to the series against Australia at home in January 2020. In reality, Dhawan has not underperformed or nor has he been dropped but such has been a perception about his contribution to the Indian team that he has always been under scanner.

So much so that after being axed from the T20I side following the first game in Ahmedabad, many wondered if he would get to play another game for India. But Dhawan roared back in some style to post a brilliant 98 off 106 balls to help India post a decent total on the board. Dhawan, however, was not really concerned after the drop but rather made himself determined to grab the opportunity with both hands.

"When I wasn't playing I was like how I could give to the team. I was being a good 12th man, running around, serving water. In my head it was clear that when I get an opportunity, I will grab it," Dhawan said in the post-match presentation.

"Very happy with my performance - more than that, our team won. Was doing good gym sessions, running sessions and net sessions. All the smart work paid off."

Dhawan batted well to get to his 90s but was too slow in his approach afterwards with a possible century looming. It added pressure on the Indian side who batted too slowly, in the beginning, to get to 100 runs in 23 overs, but Dhawan added that the ball was swinging and seaming owing to which the top order batters decided to take a bit of time.

"We knew ball was swinging and seaming as well, so we knew we had to stay at the wicket and play close to the body. I'm not a person who gets too sad or too happy. Wasn't in a rush to score a hundred. Unfortunately, it went to hand, that's alright. It happens," he concluded.

With no update on Rohit Sharma's elbow injury yet, Dhawan might play with a new opening partner in the second ODI on Friday (March 26) in Pune.